Built it up as more of a long-travel, heavy duty do-anything bike i can climb to the top, than a dh-only rig. Which I think is Transition's intention with the current iteration of this frame. Took it out for a spin today, kept it mellow as im still getting over a bad cold and still feeling out of it. Considering how plush the suspension is on the dh, Im surprised by how well it pedals, at least as good as the '08 Bullit (cracked rear triangle) it replaced. But this bike is lower and slacker Glad to join the transition family, I think I made a good choice.

Blindside

I've seen one BS on my local XC trails (only a few trails are suited to it & even then, the BS is more bike than needed) owned by a rider who was from out-of-town. I was amazed at how much more burly it looks in person than the pics online. He said his bike was 40lbs...

Nice, guys! I'm seriously considering one right now (2012/raw/small).
Though I'm usually not the one to count the pounds, it's amazing that you guys came out 36~38lbs. My v.1 BR weighs 40lbs. Moving almost everything over, I think I'll end up at 40lbs again, 'cause the frame+shock weights are pretty much the same (about 10lbs).

PS.
If anyone got an '12 model with 142mm x 12mm, please let me know if you can use rear Maxle.

mines a vf5/2011 aqnd its 7/7.5. i run it in the 7" mode witha 7" fork, too many pedal strikes in the 7.5". if i ever run a dc fork ill switch the travel. the lower hole is the 7", and its written on the chip. the difference bw 2011/2012 is the rear dropout option, but i forget the specifics.

I'm also thinking about a Totem coil for it (still shopping/browsing for an used one) and a Cane Creek 40-series headset. If I end up with a tapered steertube, the bottom headset will be EC49 (1.5"; 12mm/height) only. If I end up with a 1-1/8" steertube, the bottom headset can be EC49 (Conversion; 12mm/height) or ZS49 (1-1/8"; 4mm/height).

I think ZS top/bottom setup would give a pretty clean look (just like my current BottleRocket, or sorta like firevsh2o's pix above but without the angle offset), while the 8mm stack height difference only affecting maybe about 1/3 of a degree(?) at most if any. But what I'm concerned with ZS/bottom is whether Totem's Mission Control adjuster knob will hit the downtube or not...? (I've heard/read about this before about Totem here & there.)

7"-travel & 135mm/QR

On that note, what do you guys on v5/2011 think about a 135mm x 10mm QR rear axle for a 7"-travel frame? Is it adequate for a 7"-travel frame & for where it's designed to be ridden?

It's just that I've never had any frames more than 5"~6"-travel before, and I've never had anything but a 135mm/QR axle, either; hence my asking. Considering my 5.55"-travel v1 BR is with 135mm/QR, and I've not had any issues sending it. So, just wondering about it when it becomes 7"-travel.

The v5/2011 currently on closeout at $1,359/USD is certainly attractive. In contrast, the $1,599/USD 2012 ("v6"?) comes with 142mm x 12mm thru-axle dropouts (right & left) by default. It has an option to go 135mm x 10mm QR, but you have to purchase additional dropouts separately from their online store. ($30/right + $30/left = $60.) Swapping '12 chainstays on '11 frame later isn't allowed.

Planning to place an order by the end of this week, and just trying to close in on remaining thoughts. (Thanks for all your comments helping me out here.)

On that note, what do you guys on v5/2011 think about a 135mm x 10mm QR rear axle for a 7"-travel frame? Is it adequate for a 7"-travel frame & for where it's designed to be ridden?

It's just that I've never had any frames more than 5"~6"-travel before, and I've never had anything but a 135mm/QR axle, either; hence my asking. Considering my 5.55"-travel v1 BR is with 135mm/QR, and I've not had any issues sending it. So, just wondering about it when it becomes 7"-travel.

I was worried about the stiffnes in the rear, but there is really no problem. I weight about 200 lbs and I really feel no disturbing rearend flex. My Nukeproof Mega with 135x12 through axle feels flexier. (but it is a bit lighter)

DHX RC4 setup tips w/ Blindside

I just got my small/raw delivered today. Can't start building it yet (fork not yet arrived), but just wanted to see what you guys are doing with shock setup on v5 Blindside with DHX RC4 as a starting-point reference.

2011/v5 Blindside: just out of box

So, my 2011/v5 Blindside (small/raw) just arrived today. I don't get to start building it for a few more days until the fork arrives, but it's super cool. (It really is just like a bigger brother of my 2007/v1 BottleRocket small/raw, which is exactly what I wanted.)

Though I usually like the 'naked' look (no stickers on my raw BR), I really like these silver-logo stickers on the raw Blindside. I think I'll keep 'em on this time.

nice! cant wait to see it built up. Now i have a rockshox vivid on mine; with the rc4 I had a #400 spring in the 7" setting (i weigh #215 geared up), had the bottom out just shy of 2 turns in and about 165 psi, and rebound 4-5 clicks out from fully closed, seemed to work well. IMO, the Vivid really made the suspension come alive, with more square-edge bump compliance and better rebound tuning, but at the expense of pedaling.

faced BB & headtube?

Did you guys get the BB shell & headtube faced, before installing BB & headset? If not, any issues with BB/headset aligning or creaking so far? Just wondering (& "practically" speaking) if I should get that done at a shop first, or just start building as-is.

very nice! cant wait to het a totem on mine. the polished lowers look so good with the polished frame. Btw, you asked me about my derailleur setting.. its also mounted just a hair higher than the lowest it can go. What cranks are those?

Started off at 140psi, and went up to 150psi. (I can also try 160psi, just for the heck of it.) I have no high-speed compression. Fox online reads to have HS as low as possible without bottoming. Well, I sorta got that, but wasn't quite expecting to get that with 0 clicks, though... Will play around on HS a bit next ride.

Within that thread, there's a link to this Fox DHX (Air) info...DHX Air Tech
... which has great pop-up info of (a) "Boost 101" info, and (b) "Bottom Out Control".
---> Check out the 2nd & 4th page of (b), which shows the bottom-out-force curves!!

Just called Fox, and confirmed that above is true (about the starting point). He also said that the above curve is for bottom-out only (influenced by turns & psi). For high-speed compression, he explained that the curve/line is separately on a different graph, and it looks horizontal, going up/down vertically with compression clicks. I told the Fox guy about my zero HS compression, and he said nothing wrong with it as long as I like the feel (which I do). Called Transition, and they said I should be using a bit of compression dampening (w/ lighter coil), and also said that my sag is a bit low for Blindside. Fox says one can reach the same results from both directions ("lighter spring & more compression" vs "heavier spring & less compression").